Many folks assume the Appalachian Trail must be similar from start to finish—a dirt path meandering through the woods. That’s not wrong, but it only describes a small portion of the AT. In reality, we backpacked an ever-changing trail.

The stereotypical “walk in the woods”

In the 150+ miles that we hiked, we encountered changing elevations, varied plants and trees, and different views. Sometimes it felt like we were walking through an unending green tunnel. Other times we saw glorious layers of mountains beyond a patchwork quilt of farms in the valleys. Here are some of the many trails we walked while backpacking on the Appalachian Trail in Maryland and Virginia:

Boggy ground is crossed on a series of boardwalks…

A few streams are crossed on a bridge, some are waded through, and most are crossed by balancing on rocks.

Sometimes the trail follows the side of a road.

Sometimes it winds through the center of town! (This is in Harpers Ferry WV…not Narnia as some might suspect…)

Some trail sections have gravel; some require climbing over boulders; and other sections are just a jumbled path through loose rock.

No matter where the white blazes lead, it is always interesting to follow the ever-changing trail.

(Note: we finished this year’s hike on October 21 but will continue to share stories and photos from the trail for another few weeks.)

(The Appalachian Trail is definitely not simply a “walk in the woods.” Read about it HERE.)